Developer George Oliver has quickly shifted its strategy on the redevelopment of the Alexander, a class-A office development in the Phoenix suburb of Chandler. The property is currently under construction, and will now reflect new needs in office space as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The changes will include wellness-focused workspaces with features like touchless accessibility throughout the property and upgraded HVAC systems for better air quality.

"This pandemic hasn't materially changed our vision for the end product at The Alexander, but it has created opportunities for us to make changes that will deliver a product that's more in line with user expectations for the safest possible work environment," Curt Kremer, founder and managing partner at George Oliver, tells GlobeSt.com.

The outbreak of COVID-19 changed user needs in real estate. For office space, safety in touching surfaces and sharing spaces is now a top priority. "COVID has created a significant amount of uncertainty about things we took for granted previously," says Kremer. "Before this, I'm not sure that I'd ever put any thought into the process of opening a door, but now every door handle I touch I have to think about. I'm hopeful this is something that fades over time, and I believe with a vaccine that this will be the case. But there is no certainty around that at this time. The changes we've made to The Alexander will be part of our design and architecture for this asset long term."